A Hazard In His Own Right
A Hazard In His Own Right
A Hazard In His Own Right
It was a proud moment for Thorgan Hazard. The younger sibling of Chelsea winger Eden, he had finally made his way out from the all encompassing shadow of his brother.
“He is no longer Eden’s brother,” Zulte Waregem coach Franck Dury said in January. “He is Thorgan Hazard in his own right.”
Dury’s evlaution was correct. Hazard has been sensational since his arrival at Zulte Waregem and recently capped off a golden boot winning season with 11 goals and 15 assists in 38 games. The brothers are both currently on the books of Chelsea, yet for Thorgan, it required a trip back home to his native Belgium in order to shine.
When Eden arrived at Chelsea’s Cobham training complex in Surrey, England, there was not just a sizable price tag trailing him. Agents, advisors, medical staff, and Chelsea TV staff all swarmed him as they celebrated another prized capture. Yet tucked somewhere quietly at the back, was his younger sibling.
"I knew very well that I was passing through,” he said, reminiscing on a month spent at the training ground. 30 or so days split between training sessions with the first and reserve team. On the surface it seemed a move aimed at helping Eden acclimatize to new surroundings. Chelsea had previously struck a similar deal for the Musonda brothers (Lamisha, Tika and Charley).
The idea that he is only there because of Eden, and that the will never match his brother’s level has all been heard before. Even opponents have told him: “You’ll never be as good as Eden.” Yet Thorgan remains unflustered: “We are not the first brothers in professional football. People often try to compare us, I understand, but we are not the same players. Everyone manages his career the way he wants. Eden exploded quickly, I play at my own pace, I hope it works.”
And as he has begun to show while on loan at Zulte Waregem – Thorgan is a Hazard A precocious talent at the academy of RC Lens in France, his former youth coach Eric Assadourian said of him: “He has to find a way of repeating those good things of which he is capable. He has to gain volume in a game and to let himself go more often. He is the creator, he is capable of guiding the other players and making the play.”
It was an assessment Hazard concurred with. Sent out on loan like so many of Chelsea’s young talents, Hazard has already seen the benefit: “At Zulte-Waregem, I have showed who I am,” he told Sport in an interview last year. Wearing the number ’10’ shirt, Hazard embodies the role to a tee. “When I have two strikers in front of me, I have fewer possibilities on the sides to widen the play,” he said. “But it’s easiest to find me and to play deeply. It’s a matter of movement and animation in front of me.”
Crowned Belgian Pro League Footballer of the Year for 2013, Thorgan took a considered approach to choosing his loan club: “I wanted playing time and it was basically the reason I came here,” Hazard explained. “By signing a Belgian club, I knew that the level is more or less similar to the French second division. And today between European play with Zulte Waregem or play mid-table with Lens, I think I made the right choice.”
His influence on the pitch has quickly been reflected in the standings. A finish of 13th place in 2011-2012, the club fought for the league title last season, before dramatically losing out to Anderlecht in the final throes of the campaign. Beginning his time at Zulte in a more wide position, the summer – and departure of central attacker Franck Berrier – allowed Thorgan to move inside and inhabit his favourite space. From there he has truly begun to thrive.
However his season has not been without difficulties. Courted by both Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven in January this year, Hazard began to sound out a potential move, admitting that a switch could enhance his World Cup prospects.
Anderlecht had never forgiven themselves for allowing Thorgan to slip through their grasp. Against them last September he produced arguably his finest performance in a Zulte shirt. Involving himself in every goal, Hazard scored once and assisted the other three goals in a 4-3 win.
As Anderlecht attempted to prize away their rivals best asset, agent John Bico entered the frame. The representative of both Eden and Thorgan Hazard, it was widely reported that in order for Thorgan to remain in Waregem, Bico demanded he be handed the club’s captaincy.
A decision that was revolted against by both teammates and fans of the club, the youngster served as captain for just one week before returning the armband to Davy De Fauw – restoring peace at the club in the process.
Recently Reflecting on a bizarre new year, Hazard said: “It was difficult weeks and months, I was frustrated that it [the move] did not happen. But after talking with my family and coach, I can turn the clock, and I am now better again in my self. My game is also getting better.”
A beneficial move that has clearly enhanced the youngster’s career, it seems increasingly unlikely he will return to Belgium for a third spell next season. “I will begin at Chelsea,” he said when asked about his future in March.
Believing he is now ready to play at a grander stage, he will be buoyed by the fact his young teammate Junior Maladna has earned a move to the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg this season. With Eden recently revealing he had also asked Marc Wilmots to consider Thorgan for Belgium, it seems increasingly that Thorgan is not only moving out of his brother’s shadow, but now casting his own ever growing one.
This piece was written by Kristian Heneage, who can be found writing for ESPN and the New York Times. You should follow him on twitter at @KHeneage. Comments below please.
